Happy Holidays from the Inhabitat Team!

INHABITAT WISHES YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY!

It's hard to believe how quickly the year has passed, and we're already celebrating another round of holidays! Inhabitat's team has grown to all corners of the globe, and this year our editors and writers want to share with you how they plan on spending the holidays. From soaking up the sun in Buenos Aires, to getting ready to ski in Park City, to simply hanging out at home opening gifts in NYC. Read on for all the fun festivities in store for our team, and don't forget to share your own plans with us in the comments below!

Jill Fehrenbacher, Editor-in-Chief

This year I’m spending the holidays with my family in NYC. We don’t enjoy the hustle and bustle of holiday travel, so we’re laying low in our apartment, baking, cooking, and skyping with family on the West Coast, and waiting for the winter weather to show up.

Happy Holidays everyone!
Thanks for reading.

MIKE CHINO, Managing Editor

I’m spending the holidays with my family in sunny Southern California this year, so there isn’t any sign of winter in sight – instead of cozying up by the fire I’ve been trying to get outside as much as possible to enjoy the beautiful weather. This year I rediscovered surfing after a long hiatus, so I’ve been heading to the beach every chance I get. (I never camped or hiked much growing up, so the ocean has always been my strongest point of contact with nature.) It feels amazing to literally immerse yourself in the environment that surrounds you, and the past year has underlined both the importance of this experience and the necessity of preserving the world around us.

YUKA YONEDA, Senior Editor

I’ll be spending the day hanging with my fam, but also pondering a very serious offense that I recently committed against my fellow editor Diane Pham. At our recent holiday party, Diane received, arguably, the best holiday gift ever – a Christmas stocking filled with mini booze bottles – from writer Lori Zimmer. Since we were playing White Elephant, a game that encourages thievery, I immediately jumped in and snatched the Liquorbag, only to have it consequently stolen from me by NY editor Jessica Dailey. The experience taught me that stealing doesn’t pay, and it also made Diane quite sad. To make up for my heinous deed, I’ll be spending part of my Christmas day crafting Diane her very own Ice Cube <3s Eames pillow. I hope that makes up for everything Diane!

JESSICA DAILEY, New York Editor

As usual, I’m spending the holidays with my family at my parents’ house outside of Pittsburgh, PA. For us, the holidays are all about eating, drinking, baking, family, and friends — and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My older sister is home from England, too, so all three Dailey girls are under the same roof, which can make things a bit loud and chaotic, but certainly always fun. My dad decked the house with brilliant LEDs this year, and we’ll be basking in the glow of our 12 ft. tall Christmas tree, festooned with our homemade ornaments, sipping wine and stuffing ourselves silly with cookies. Merry Christmas!

BRIDGETTE MEINHOLD, Architecture Editor

In all honesty, 2011 has been a long and tiring year. Lots of good things have come about, but it was not without a considerable amount of effort. From a DIY house remodel to writing a book on sustainable architecture, I have been busy. So this weekend, I am going to relax. I am going to ski. I will enjoy my snow-bound cabin. I am going to visit friends I have been neglecting and I am going to sleep. And while I sleep, I will dream of 2012 and all the promise it holds for a new and amazing year.

NICOLE ABENE, Weekend Editor

HO HO HO! This little girl is my beautiful niece Eloise and, although she wasn’t especially impressed by Santa Clause, we’re all excited to spend a second Christmas with her while she giggles and dances and lights up the holiday. I’ll be spending Christmas at my parents house in New Jersey, waiting for snow, eating yummy food, and playing lots of board games with my siblings. Instead of wasting paper, I wrapped all of the presents in used LSAT study guides and I expect it to be a bit cathartic seeing them ripped apart. Merry Christmas, readers, and a have Happy New Year!

BRIT LIGGETT, New York Editor

For me the holiday season is really about family and food. So this weekend I’ll be cooking up a storm with my relatives. We’re due to make wild mushroom risotto for Christmas dinner ( a recipe from my favorite slow food chef, Alice Waters) and hang in the kitchen while it simmers. We aren’t a big present family and the things we choose to give are usually artisinal. This year I’ll be gifting handmade photo frames with choice shots from the wonderful family moments in 2011. Happy holidays to our readers!

Lori Zimmer, Contributing Writer

I’m very thankful for all my family and friends in Buffalo and New York City this year! I’ll be celebrating by giving my loved ones handmade cards from recycled materials, as well as making them each a growler of home made beer!

TIMON SINGH, News Writer

Another year is over and my attempts to make my life that little bit greener have had mixed results. Unfortunately the cost of solar panels in the UK is still outrageous, and I am still faced with the problem that sunlight in our fair country is minimal. Still, I seem to be recycling everything I can get my hands on and am proud of the compost bin in my garden. As for the festive season – does re-gifting old presents from last year count as recycling? I think it does. Merry Christmas!